A need exists for lightweight tubes capable of withstanding large bursting forces. There also exists a need for a lightweight joint which can be used to join together two sections of such a tube. Current designs for joining tubes typically result in the application of widely varying stresses on the ends of the sections being joined. One of the possible uses of such tubes and joints is for rail guns.
In a rail gun, it is desirable that the rails and the adjacent insulating members fit together with very close tolerances and be tightly constrained against displacement outward. A typical, known rail gun barrel assembly employs a large number of bolts to clamp stiff structural members about the barrel components to react bursting forces. In some proposed designs the length of the rail gun barrel exceeds 90 feet. Manufacture and transport of such rail gun barrels would be greatly simplified if they could be manufactured and transported in sections and the sections joined at the site of use. Designs have been proposed for using large numbers of bolts and clamps to connect two sections of a rail gun to form a joint.